Switch-throwing mechanism



C-, C. KORNS SWITCH THROWING MECHANISM Filed May 4, 19

April 8, 1930.

Patented Apr.- 8, 1930 UNITED STATES CLARENCE c. KORNS, or JOHNSTOWN, rnnnsxrvnivra swrrcn-rnnownvemncrmmsn 1 Application filed- May 4,1927! Serial No, 188,664;

One object of my inventionis to provide a toggle mechanism for throwing railway switches and the like, of'simplified'construe.

tion.

6' Another object of my inventionis to pro vide a switch-throw mechanism that may be .easily assembled. r

The present invention is an improvement in thestructure, such for example as shown in my Patent No. 1,313,995, issued August 26,

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a plan view of a portion of arailway track and my switch throwing de- 1 vice, with the cover removed; H

Figure 2 is a view, partially in elevation and partially in section, of the switch throwing device with the cover in place, taken along a sect-ion line corresponding to the section line IIII of Fig. 1; and

Figure 3 is a similar view taken along the section line IIIIII, of Figure l.

In the illustrated embodimentof the in: vention, I have shown a railroad track 2 com- 2 prising a main rail 3 and a switch point A,

controlled by'a pull rod or tensioning. member 5 connected to a switch-throw mechanism 6. This mechanism comprises a frame 7, a rocker arm 8 secured to the tensioning member 5, and a biasing member 9 that cooperateswiththe rocker arm 8 for constituting a toggle mechanism. The frame is provided with a cover 7 a having an opening 7 therein.

Referring to Figures 1 and 3, the. switch point 4 may be mounted in any suitable supporting structure 11 provided with an opening 12 for the reception of the. pull rod 5 and a depending lug 13 secured to the switch point 4. The pull rod 5 is provided with a head 1 1 that engages one of the surfaces of the de pending lug 13 for confining the latter be tween it and a sleeve 16 loosely mounted on the pull rod 5 in order that it mayhave longitudinal movement relative thereto. 1

Referring to Figures 1 and 2, the frame 7 is provided at one side with an opening 17 in. which is seateda bearing mount 18 having a threaded opening 19 extending therethrough:

to'the outer face of the frame 7 The oppo site face of the mount 18 is provided withan outwardly extending projection 21 having a 1 groove 22 serving as a detent. A hearing pin 23 is adj ustably threaded into the opening 19 and is provided at its inner end with a semispherical surface 24 for engaging a portion of v the biasing member 9. v The bearing 23 is provided with a transverse aperture 25 through which a pin 26 is adapted toextend for en gaging the walls ofthe detent 22 whereby the bearing 23' is held. in adjustedposition since itis prevented fromturning relatively to the bearing mount 18. The mount itself may co: operate with the flanges 27 disposed along the inner-edge of the frame 7 for preventing relative rotational movement therebetween.

The biasing member 9 comprises a plunger 28 provided at one end with a socket 29 for 'the' reception of the semi-spherical surface 24 of the bearing 23. The flange 31, constie tuting the wall of the recess 29, engages with one end of a coil spring'32. The other end 33 connectedby a pin 34 to the rocker arm 8, and having afiange 35 forming a seat for the opposite end of the spring. Accordingly, the plunger 28 and the socket 33 are capable of relative movement with respect to each other, under the influence of the spring 32 which tends to separate them.

The rocker arm 8 is constituted by an integralv casting provided with intersecting openings at one end for the reception of the head 36 of thesocket 33 and the pin 34. The otherend of the rocker arm 8 is bifurcated to permit it to straddle the pull rod 5, and is.pr0-'- vided with aligned openings 37 and 38.whose axis. is normalto that of the pull rod 5. The upper opening 37 is of'considerably greater of the plunger 28-is adapted to enter a socket A diameter than the lower opening 38-: whereby a connector 39 may be inserted therein from above therocker arm, and is prevented from v falling out of it by the smaller diameter of the'openi'ng 38. The connectori-39'may ex tendthroughthe opening 38 and besecured i suitable barfulcrumed in the opening 7 for throwing the .Inechanisrrr The bifurcated ends ofthe rocker arm 8 are secured to the frame 7 by a pin 42 that extends through an inwardly projecting flange 43 on the frame 7 and into a recess 44 at the bottom of the frame 7.

The connector 39 is provided with an enlarged head 45 for cooperation with the opening 37 in the rocker arm 8, and with diametrically disposed flattened surfaces 46, one

4 and the sleeve 16 slipped into position thereon. The rocker arm 8 is secured by the pin 42 within the frame 7, and the biasing member 9 is assembled and connected to the rocker arm by the pin 34, after which the desired ten-' sion is placed on the spring byadjusting the position of the bearing 23. I/Vhen' the prop- J er tension has been applied to the biasing member 9, the pin 26 is inserted through the opening 25 of the bearing 23 and into the detent 22 to prevent further turning movement of the hearing. The connector 39 is then dropped into the opening 38 in the rocker arm 8 and the pull rod 5 passed theretion,

7 through after which the-nut 47 is placed upon the end of thelatter. Since the switch-throw mechanism 6 is disposed in a horizontal posi- 34 and 42, as well as the connector 39, may be inserted from above the open parts of the switch-throw mechanism 6, thereby materially simplifying the assembling of the .de-

vice.

same time a relative turning movement oc- Assuming the parts to be in the position shown in Figure 1, and desiring to move the switch point 4, a suitable bar is fulcrumed in the opening 7 and inserted in the opening 41. Force is applied to the bar to move the rocker arm to the left of the figure. Inward movement of the rocker arm serves to compress the spring 32 and to cause the connector 39 to move along the pull rod 5. Atthe curs between the conical bearing surface 24 and the recess 29. When suflicient movement has been imparted to the rocker arm 8 to cause it and the tension device 9 to move past their center lines, the spring 32 expands to cause theconnector 39 to strike the sleeve 16 asharp blow by its flattened face 46, which movement causes positive movement of the switch point 4 to the desired position.

When it is desired to restore the switch it will be understood that the pins 26,.

point 4 to its initial position, the rocker arm 8 is moved in a reverse direction whereupon the other face 46 of the connector 39 strikes the nut 47 a sharp blow to restore it to its initial position. 7

It will thus be seen that I have provided a switch-throw mechanism that is characterized by having a pull rod surrounded by. a sleeve so that a sharp blow is delivered to the sleeve to move the associated switch point and that the component parts of themechanism may be assembled while in a horizontal position by the insertion of a number of pins from abovethedevice. Important details of my invention are found in the manner of assembhng the toggle mechanism in the frame in order to ad ust the same and to prevent the losing of the adjustment while the deviceis in operation. Furtheradvantages arise from by the parts thereof are prevented peated jars to which they are subjected both reason of traflic over the adjacent track.

Still further advantages arise from utili- Zation of a tension member or pull rod of integral construction throughout its entire length whereby the provision of an adjusting connection therein is unnecessary. Where such adjusting connections have been provided it has been found that they not only tend to permit undesired relative movement, but also tend to develop loeseness by reason of wear after they have been in use for a comparatively shortperiod of time.

It is to be understood that such changes in the number, arrangements, disposition and design of the component parts of my invention may be made Without departing from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: r

'1. In a spring'toggle mechanism, a frame. comprising a guide, a toggle element, supporting means for the toggle element cooperating with said guide and having a detent therein, and a pin cooperating with said de-. tentand a portion of said supporting means for preventing relative movement therebetween. 7

2. In a spring toggle mechanism, a frame comprising a guide, a toggle element, adjustable supporting means for, the toggle element comprising a rotatable member, a bearing for the rotatable member cooperating with said guide and, having a detent formed v by reason of operation of the parts and by and cooperating with the detent for controlling the position of the rest.

5. In a mechanical movement, an adjustable bearing member, a support for the bearing member having a detent, and a pin extending through the bearing member and cooperating with the detent to prevent movement of the bearing member.

6. In a mechanical movement, two mem bers having relative angular movement, the position of one of which is adjustable, a substantially stationary detent, and a pin passing through the adjustable member and cooperating with the detent to restrict relative angular movement between the members.

7. In a mechanical movement, a tension member, a sleeve loosely mounted thereon, a rocker arm having lost motion relative to the tension member and having means for imparting movement to the sleeve member.

8. In a horizontally disposed toggle mechanism, a tension member, a rocker arm having openings therein adapted to receive a connecting member, and a connecting member in said openings having an upper portion of a greater dimension than the lower portion for connecting the rocker arm and tension member.

9. A connector pincomprising a head portion, a body portion having oppositely disposed flattened faces through which an opening extends, and a lower portion having materially smaller dimensions than the head portion.

10. In a switch throwing mechanism the combination with a supporting member having upper and lower openings of difierent dimensions, of a connector member, the upper portion of which is of a greaterdimension than the lower portion, whereby the connector may be inserted in the supporting" member and be maintained therein by the in-' fiuence of the force of gravity.

11. A switch throw mechanism comprising a. pivotally mounted support having upper and lower openings of different dimensions, and a connector having an upper portion of a greater dimension than the lower portion, whereby the connector is inserted in the openings in the support and retained thereinby the influence of the force of gravity, said support having an opening therein for the reception of a pull rod engaging the connector.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

. v CLARENCE C. KORNS. 

